He said: “How I felt when receiving the news? At first, apprehension: do my relatively modest achievements warrant this honour? Will I, can I, do justice to this invitation?

“Some hours later I felt a feel-good sensation envelop me. Gratification that after all this time the modern world has not forgotten the past and the riders of a very different era still have some value.

“A question of the history of our sport being recognised at the highest level. Thank you.”

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